Kayaking & Canoeing

Few areas in the world are as beautiful to explore by kayak as the coastal waters of BC, with its jagged coastline and thousands of islands, inlets and coves. British Columbia is one of the premier adventure destinations in the world for ocean kayaking, whether you’re new to the sport, looking for an exciting adventure getaway, or simply out to improve your paddling skills. The kayaking season is mid-May to September.

Vancouver Island & the BC Gulf Islands

Vancouver Island’s vast number of lakes, rivers and ocean inlets are a pleasure to explore by canoe or kayak. The large, relatively isolated lakes of the north and central portion of Vancouver Island are enclaves of solitude. Kayakers glide through marine parks into scenic bays and lagoons and go ashore on secluded sandy beaches and uninhabited islands.

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains

Exquisite kayaking adventures await paddlers in the crystal-clear waters of Desolation Sound and Sechelt Inlet, and the Powell Forest Canoe Route on the BC Sunshine Coast is considered one of the more significant paddle routes in the province. Closer to Vancouver, kayakers can explore Bowen Island, Burrard Inlet, Deep Cove, Howe Sound, and the numerous rivers and lakes of the Fraser Valley.

Thompson Okanagan

The BC interior offers unlimited paddling and kayaking delights, including the challenging Thompson River, while Shuswap Lake, and its many arms, is one of the most popular canoeing locations in the Southern Interior. Peaceful paddling can be enjoyed on Kinbasket Lake, Murtle Lake in Wells Gray Park, Clearwater and Azure Lakes, and the various lakes around Lac Le Jeune.

Kootenay Rockies

The region boasts some huge lakes with endless paddling excursions, including Slocan Lake, Upper and Lower Arrow Lake, and Kootenay Lake in the heart of the B.C. Rocky Mountains of the West Kootenays. Paddling down the Fraser and Columbia Rivers in the Rocky Mountain trench, flanked by the Canadian Rockies, is an inspiring near-wilderness experience.

Cariboo, Chilcotin, Coast

The wild and remote Central Coast offers spectacular kayaking opportunities, with coves, lagoons, sandy beaches, and rugged coastline. Kayakers explore the Fjordland Recreation Area and Princess Royal Island, home to the famous white Kermode (spirit) bear. Paddlers seeking a challenge can tackle the Bowron Lakes Chain, one of British Columbia’s most popular canoe routes.

Northern BC and Haida Gwaii

The lure of kayaking around Haida Gwaii is strong, with every place as magical as the next. The former Queen Charlotte Islands offer prime paddling, with the tiny islands, secluded coves, and sheltered coastline of the southeast being the most popular kayaking destination. The north coast of BC is wild, with wonderfully varied shores – an exceptional destination for kayakers.

Premier Listings

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The Cape Lazo RV & Campground is a 6.5 acre beachside property with 64 beautifully landscaped campsites, just metres from the beach and minutes from downtown Comox. We offer a family friendly campground facility with kayak and paddleboard rentals, accessible boat launch, playground, on site store, and pavilion for group picnics. The Comox Peninsula on the east coast of Vancouver Island is spectacular at any time of year with miles of shoreline to explore and great recreation opportunities for all ages. Cape Lazo is perfect for a weekend, a week or even months of camping in the Comox Valley.

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Quatsino Lodge specializes in guided sea kayaking & sportfishing. Kayaking guests enjoy day trips exploring ever changing coast lines, secluded beaches, remote islands and secret coves with abundant sea life. Our heated cabin cruisers take us out to the chosen area, and collects us at the end of the day, eliminating the need to paddle long distances, camp out or live on board a boat, evenings are spent warm, dry and pampered in the comfort of the lodge.

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Simply Spectacular, Spectacularly Simple! Enjoy Canada’s most beautiful wilderness in luxury timber-frame or log cabins in the heart of the B.C. Rocky Mountains, beside Kootenay National Park – the perfect spot to get away from it all. Come hiking, biking, rafting, canoeing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, or just sit back on the porch and do nothing. Life is Short – Play Hard

All of our rustic rocky mountain log cabins are luxuriously appointed with full kitchens, plush beds, and cozy chairs for curling up by the fireplace with a book. The eco-cabins are hand built right on site from the surrounding forest.

Book your wedding, family reunion, corporate retreat, or special event at Nipika. The eco resort features a conference centre, dining hall, and catering service. Request our information packages about customized wedding and corporate programs.

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Ocean Light II is a beautiful and spacious 71ft sailboat offering comfort, a classic natural wood interior, 5 guest cabins, fishing gear, 7 seakayaks, and a 19ft hard-bottom inflatable. Her crew has 34 years of experience offering natural history and photography tours on the BC Coast, including Haida Gwaii, and specializing in grizzly viewing tours in the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, and spirit bear and grizzly tours in the Great Bear Rainforest. We also offer whale watching and eco tours, from totems to intertidal treasures, rocky shores to sandy beaches, and spawning salmon to towering trees. We offer five spectacular adventure trips between May and October, each to a different region and each highlighting the awe-inspiring beauty of the beautiful BC coast.

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Lodge based multi-day sea kayaking tours in the Discovery Islands, off Central Vancouver Island. We operate in and around the Discovery Islands, Desolation Sound, and mainland inlets. View marine parks, wildlife, BC’s highest mountains, glaciers and waterfalls. Watch grizzly bears from your kayak, paddle with seals, dolphin, and porpoise. Incredible marine inter-tidal life. No experience necessary. We are Canada’s longest operating sea kayak company, now entering our 28th year. Recommended by National Geographic as one of Canada’s top places to visit. Join us for an adventure of a lifetime!

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Experience exceptional fishing for Salmon, Halibut, Red Snapper and Ling Cod in our protected, uncrowded waters in Hakai Pass on the West Coast of BC. Fishing within 5 minutes of our comfortable, clean full-service floating Lodge, everything is taken care off by our experienced, enthusiastic young staff. Fabulous Food, private accommodation, world-class fishing and genuine hospitality are what you can expect from this family-run Fishing Lodge.

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Orca Dreams offers twenty years experience hosting people from around the world in the wildlife-rich waters of Johnstone Strait and Broughton Archipelago, off the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Orca Dreams now offers Canada’s first whale-watching camp, with BC packages that include 4 days of luxury camping.

Watch surfacing humpback whales, a passing pod of orcas, or a curious seal pass by while sipping your morning coffee from your waterfront safari-style tent. Whale watch from camp, kayak or boat, surrounded by the rich wildlife of coastal BC.

Orca Dreams is situated within the traditional territory of the Mamalilikula-Qwe’Qwa’Sot’Em First Nation, on Compton Island on the edge of Blackney Pass, one of the most wildlife-rich marine ecosystems in the world. Blackney Pass connects Queen Charlotte Strait with Johnstone Strait where the strong currents churn up nutrients from deep below, feeding everything from small herring to the 40-ton humpback whales.

Blackney Pass is also one of the best places in North America to view Orcas – also known as Killer Whales – as they make their way to and from Johnstone Strait and the rubbing beaches of Robson Bight on Vancouver Island.

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#1 Attraction in Golden on TripAdvisor. Glacier Raft Company has been running rafting trips on the Kicking Horse River since 1982. Our Kicking Horse River trips include whitewater rafting, kayak tours scenic floats, and heli rafting. Half-day and full-day adventures are offered, along with multi-day trips that include the Kootenay River. Raft and Play packages combine rafting with golfing, skydiving, ATVing, horseback riding, and visits to the Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge, Kayak rentals are also available.

Given the experience, passion, professionalism and camaraderie we share, we’re extremely proud of our rafting crew. Whether it’s your first time, or you make an annual appearance, we will welcome you into our rafting family. We truly love what we do, and we hope to share it with you!

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Outpost Location:Bedwell SoundWest Coast Vancouver Island

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort is a small, privately-owned and operated Relais & Chateaux eco-safari-style resort Outpost in the remote wilds of Vancouver Island, near Tofino, open seasonally to guests from all over the world. We are a true resort destination in that we own and operate our own adventures and activities, and, working with the Ahousaht First Nation, provide unprecedented access to the UNESCO-designated Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve.

With just 25 guest tents and an over-full complement of staff, wilderness guides and food and beverage artisans, our clients receive respectfully intimate attention from the moment they arrive via floatplane until they wave goodbye from the horse-drawn wagon carrying them back to the dock.

Adventure unfolds in tandem with the rainforest, tides, seasons, and the call of the wild. An impressive menu of equestrian, marine, hiking, fishing, interpretive, and restorative activities is offered daily – each outing custom-built to suit age, skill-level and expectation.

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Sea Kayak in comfort based from our ocean-side, or float-house accommodations in the wilderness of the Broughton Archipelago, a kayak paradise. Enjoy sumptuous catered meals, or cook for yourself. Guided kayak tours, lessons and rentals are available, as well as charter boat tours and kayak transport. We also offer Acupressure massage on-site. Surround yourself with ocean, beaches, trails, an inland lake, and quiet beauty.

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Awaken to the song of the Humpback whale. Fall asleep beneath the hushed canopy of a temperate rainforest. Fill your days whale-watching, kayaking with Orcas, observing sea lions romp through an underwater forest of kelp, and eagles fishing along the shore. Linger over lunch on a deserted island, scanning the horizon for signs of Orca activity.

Sign up for Ecosummer’s guided Orca Camps to kayak in the realm of Killer Whales. Explore the rainforest, hiking to waterfalls, or along ancient First Nation trails. Marvel when dolphins swim so close you wish you could reach out and touch them. Tune in to the rhythm of the tides. Escape the hubbub of your everyday world and restore life’s equilibrium on the shores of BC’s Johnstone Strait, one of the best places to whale-watch in all of British Columbia. Paddle the same waters as these gentle giants on three, four, or six-day kayaking adventures with Ecosummer Expeditions for a family vacation you’ll always remember.

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Kayak the Majestic West Coast waters of British Columbia. Our ecotourism adventures will take you to Barkley Sound, the Broken Group Islands, Pacific Rim National Park, Clayoquot Sound and the Deer Group Islands. We provide Part-day, Full-day, and Multi-day trips. Camp on pristine beaches, eat gourmet food, hike through dense rain forests, and learn about the rich variety of Pacific Coast seashore life. Rental kayaks available.

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Whether watching whales, dipping into Hot Springs Cove, or kayaking to a rainforest trail, people of all ages have enjoyed our excursions since 1986. We launch out of Tofino in Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, just minutes from Long Beach and Pacific Rim National Park. We look forward to welcoming you aboard for a Clayoquot Sound adventure by Remote Passages.

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Wildcoast provides memorable kayak vacations for adventure travellers that combine spectacular scenery, scrumptious food, and abundant wildlife encounters, including whales, dolphins, bears and eagles. Kayak with Killer Whales at our Orca base camp in Johnstone Strait, or take one of our kayak expeditions to Desolation Sound or the Discovery Islands. Our top-rated service caters to both local and international clientele. All kayak tours are fully inclusive and no kayaking experience is required. Only have a day? Visit our storefront for paddleboard and kayak Rentals or Day Tours in the stunning vistas surrounding Quadra Island.

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Kayaking British Columbia is the ultimate way to view BC’s abundant wildlife.

We want you to fall in love with kayaking and our unique coast, and our passion shows in everything we do. Choose among several professionally-guided 4-8 day trips for all experience levels around Vancouver Island. ‘Glamping’ basecamp-style with wood-fired hot tub overlooking the Pacific Ocean, or expedition-style paddling from camp to camp and paddling between 100s of islands through the Broughton Archipelago, famous Desolation Sound and the wild Great Bear Rainforest on the Central Coast. Savouring a fresh salmon BBQ in the open air, explore and view fascinating wildlife and wilderness and wake up on remote islands with the sound of the whales. Unique and breathtaking.

Our adventures are for everyone and are designed to cater to all levels of experience and abilities. We take care to introduce you to the sport in a fun and safe manner. All that we ask is that you welcome adventure with an open mind and are able to laugh and have fun when encountering the unexpected. Our groups are small, ranging from 8 to 13 people, depending on the trip, in order to provide you with the best experience possible. We provide everything you need for a once in a lifetime kayaking adventure. We provide high-quality fiberglass kayaks, paddling equipment, camp cookware, eating utensils, and camping gear.

Our guides take care of you for the entire duration of your tour, prepare delicious, organic and local meals, and have extensive training and experience in sea kayaking and in sharing the natural and cultural history of the area.

During the Northern Hemisphere winter, we also offer kayaking trips to the glacier-fed South American wildlife paradise, the Chilean Patagonia Archipelago, and multi-day escapes to sun, sand, remote beaches and the warm crystal clear waters of the Bahamas. Please contact us for all details of these amazing winter getaways!

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Located in the quaint fishing village of Ucluelet, close to Barkley Sound, the Broken Group Islands, and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, our kayaking and hiking tours range from short half-day tours to week-long adventures. Whether you are an experienced or novice sea kayaker and/or hiker looking for a new and exciting adventure, or someone who is not really sure what the west coast of Vancouver Island is all about, we promise we will find the right experience for you.

Kayaking and hiking are great ways to explore the beautiful beaches, peaceful coves, offshore islands, wildlife and the native forests that make up our coastline. Participate at your own pace by sampling a half-day trip, full-day trip, or come on a guided overnight trip and allow us to take you to all of our favorite places.

Kayaking Adventures

Enter the wild. Explore the unspoiled Central Coast of British Columbia. The world-renowned Great Bear Rainforest, on the central coast of BC, is home to the largest remaining temperate rainforest in the world. This area is ripe for adventure: remote, wild, and exemplifying BC’s incredible coastal wilderness. A kayaking adventure [...]

Orca Dreams is Canada's first whale watching luxury base camp. The camp is located on a remote island off the north inner coast of Vancouver Island, a place famous for its large concentrations of killer whales (Orcas) as well as the summer feeding grounds of humpback whales. From the raised [...]

Sun, Sand and Fun! Treat yourself with an escape from winter to the land of sunshine, crystal-clear waters, and deserted white-sand beaches. These relaxing getaways from the cold clutch of winter are just a short flight away from the east coast of the US. Spirit of the West Adventures is [...]

Johnstone Strait & Broughton Archipelago Expedition, British Columbia This expedition is a professionally-guided 6-day kayaking journey exploring the beautiful Broughton Archipelago and Johnstone Strait area of British Columbia. This is a one-way tour, which means no back tracking, and experiencing something new every day. This region is famous for its [...]